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Hannah Stubbs
Professor Karen Redding
English 1101
28 July 2016
Awakening of Creatures
Fear drives humans to act, to protect rational and irrational threats. Monsters embody a
physical form of fear and help humans cope with this emotion in order to maintain function,
rather than collapsing under the dark hovering cloud around them. Two excerpts, Why We
Crave Horror Movies and the excerpt From Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus, attempt to
explain the creation of monsters and the necessity of monsters to humanity. Mary Shelley
explores the purpose of creating monsters by showing Victors own curiosity of life and death,
driving him to make his creature. Shellys passage also hints on the characteristics of defining
monsters and monstrous qualities. In Stephen Kings essay, he focuses on monsters correlation to
the attraction of horror films. His analysis of humans deeper attraction to horror films reveals a
possible insanity and dark characteristics possessed by viewers. In order to maintain a sense of
controlled humanity, King believes creative outlets offer a disguised way to relieve monstrous
tendencies.
In an essay titled Why We Crave Horror Movies, Stephen King, the acclaimed writer of
horror, explores the drive of viewers to witness the malice, inhumane, modern entertainment of
horror movies. King starts by reviewing the possibility that all humans possess characteristics of

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insanity and some monstrousness tendencies. These dark characteristics exist on different levels,
although, they appear in everyones personality (King 16). The first reason to view horror films
is to suppress and hopefully come close to eliminating fears through experiencing them on the
big screen. King also states viewing horrific violence helps to regain a sense of normal humanity
(King 16). Viewing horror films additionally allows expression of negative emotions: We are
told we may allow our emotions a free rein or no rein at all (King 17). Decisions we can
make while watching horror films include either allowing primitive nature to take over or to
control those wild instincts (King 17). Both decisions allow for recognition of negatively viewed
emotions. King argues the necessity of addressing emotions and viewing horror films allows
these emotions to escape in one of the more humane ways, although other methods do exist. If
humans do not feed their monstrous tendencies, King believes it will actually cause malicious
behavior deemed unfit by societal standards to occur. Humans will turn into their worst fears and
cause the insanity inside to show at higher rates. The last possibility of the attraction to horror
films refers back to Kings original thought that every personality contains some bit of crazy. He
states, If we share a brotherhood of man, then we also share an insanity of man (King 18). This
connection allows horror films to not just explore personal frights, but additionally Western
cultures fears.
An excerpt From Shellys Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus shows the night Victor
Frankenstein awakens his creation. The passage explores the emotions and the actions

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Frankenstein experiences due to creature becoming alive. Prior to the monsters awaking,
Frankenstein sees the creature as beautiful and a masterpiece of scientific exploration. Victor
works to exhaustion for years and finally instills life into his creation. The moment when the
creature moves Victor regrets his work and starts to fear the effects of alternating natures course.
Victor depicts the creature as beautiful when looking at individual parts, however, when viewed
as a whole his creation does not match his anticipated vision. To Victor the creatures eyes appear
drastic in contrast to the patchwork body (Shelley 20). Victor experiences an emotional switch in
his view of the creature, but now that I have finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and
breathless horror and disgust filled my heart (Shelley 21). Overwhelmed by the thought that his
hands and enduring work brought the monstrous creature into the world, Victor leaves his
laboratory abandoning his creation. Eager to avoid the situation, I threw myself on the bed in
my clothes, endeavoring to seek a few moments of forgetfulness. But it was in vain; I slept,
indeed, but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams (Shelly 21). A dream of the death of his
beloved Elizabeth who morphs into his mother exposes Frankensteins deepest fear, haunting
him more than the monster he created. When he awakes, he sees the monster has made its way
into his room. Frankensteins creation only knows Victor, while attempting to communicate to
Victor the creatures inhuman features overwhelm the scientist. Out of terror, Victor runs away
from the creature out into the street staying on high alert throughout the night in case of the
creatures pursuit (Shelley 21).

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Academics often consider Frankenstein as the starting point in the revolution of the
Western world's modern monsters. Shelley explores through fiction ones experience in
developing a new fear and the reactions to creatures unlike the perceived norm. When discussing
Monsters many themes appear, however, both excerpts examine aspects of normality and the
trend of disapproval when a perceived notion leans away from the idealized mold. Developing a
fear and attempting to resolve the emotion can take many paths, but acknowledgement of the fear
must occur in order to not be consumed by the emotion. Kings essay focuses on the reason
people witness and crave horror films. The except From Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus
displays a raw reaction to coming face to face with that most feared in life; a main reason people
view horror films. The creation of monsters through written word helps feed the same need for
humans as watching monsters on the big screen.

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Works Cited
King, Stephen. Why We Crave Horror Movies. Monsters: A Bedford Spotlight Reader.
Ed. Andrew J.Hoffman. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2016. 16-19. Print.
Shelley, Mary. From Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus. Monsters: A Bedford
Spotlight Reader. Ed. Andrew J. Hoffman. New York/St. Martins, 2016. 20-22.
Print.